With Muslims lagging behind other communities on social development index, Vice President Hamid Ansari today said the minority community has to be first brought at par with other communities if Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ is to be fulfilled. Asking minorities not to beg, he said they have a legal right to ask the government, which at times needs to be reminded of its duties and responsibilities. Ansari asked Muslims to also look inward and focus more on providing education as the community has a very high school drop-out ratio.

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“Our Prime Minister has emphasised on ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas (Together with all, Development for all). But for everyone to grow together, all need to stand together in one line (magar agar sabko sath chalna hai to sabko ek line me khada hona hai),” said Ansari here.

He further said: “If someone is 10 yards behind then he cannot compete. Bring everyone in one line and then the country will prosper (agar koi 10 gaj piche hai to mukabala nahi kar sakta. Sabko ek line pe laiye tab mulk tarraqi karega). This is a great nation and would prosper further.”

Ansari was addressing a conference ‘Taleem O’ Tarbiyat’ here on how education helps, empowers and energises the communities. He also told the minority communities that “there is no need for begging. There is absolutely no need at all” for their rights.

“Whatever you want from the government, you ask for it, it’s your right. You would also have to make government realise that it has been careless in giving your rights. They have done in it in the past and are doing today also (Hukumat se jo mangna hai wo mangiye, aapka haq hai. Hukumat ko ye aitraf bhi dilana hai ki, hukumat aapka haq dene me kotahi kar rahi hai. Maji me bhi ki hai aur aaj bhi kar rahi hai),” he said.

Ansari also said that various schemes have been formulated but those have not been implemented properly.

Highlighting on the importance of the education, he said ” the world is growing rapidly and there is need for retraining of the people”.

He further stressed there is need to strengthen the elementary and basic education for the minority communities as the school drop ratio is quite high. Ansari also asked the minorities to retrospect about efforts taken by them for providing education.

Speaking on the occasion, Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University Zafar Sareshwala talked about empowerment of the minorities through education and stressed on financial literacy for the growth of the community. BSE CEO Ashish Chauhan asked the minority community to focus on adapting new technologies for their inclusive growth.